Aug 20th 2008 07:34 am A rhetorical question

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The preceding cartoon ran originally on a Friday. The Saturday cartoon that appeared in newspapers was unrelated to Mary Lou and her problems. It featured Arlo and Janis conversing under a beach umbrella. This cartoon ran the following Monday, and I thought I’d save us some time: yes, she’s wearing print shorts on Thursday and solid shorts on Monday.

To those of you who’re joining us to catch up on the background of Mary Lou and Gene, I’m glad you took the time, and I hope you’ll come back. Almost every day, I post an old A&J cartoon and maybe a few thoughts, and you’re invited to comment. This is my personal project: no ads, nothing for sale, no membership required. Just us folks.

Posted by jimmyjohnson / Vintage A&J

41 Responses to “A rhetorical question”

  1. Anonymous on 20 Aug 2008 at 7:42 am #

    it’s actually refreshing to have a comic strip deal with real issues facing young adults rather than the pollyana approach to sugarcoating events where everything always works out for the best in the end

  2. maggie on 20 Aug 2008 at 7:53 am #

    “yes, she’s wearing print shorts on Thursday and solid shorts on Monday.”………..This was suppose to make us think that it was just an error, but how do we know that it wasn’t a subtle comment about how often women change clothes? I know that my husband has felt like there are days when I change clothes so often that he wouldn’t be surprised to find that during a short conversation with him I was no longer wearing the same thing I was when we starting talking.
    The ones of us who come here regularly are extremely grateful for this site & appreciate the effort & extra work that goes into running it and keeping it up. It can’t be easy finding time to do this, the strip AND spend time outside all of our homes peaking in our windows.
    Thanks JJ…..and even though there’s “nothing for sale” HERE, we do at times beg for A Coffee Mug with the A&J logo with them leaning against the roadster that we can buy. (Not the huge mugs that are too big to hold onto before you have a cup or 2 of morning coffee, but the regular size mugs….hint, hint, hint)

  3. John in NY on 20 Aug 2008 at 8:08 am #

    No worries on the shorts change. Something tells me Mary Lou is used to changing her shorts quickly…

    I HAD TO!

    As to JJ’s comments on nothing for sale here, it’s weird this is like the only site on the net I wish DID have something for sale. A book. Original strips. A bbq at JJ’s. But nada.

  4. Jim in southwest Illannoy on 20 Aug 2008 at 8:18 am #

    Ah yes, true love. Wars have been fought over it, and people have made other foolish mistakes because they thought they were in love. This definitely shows potential though. I’m sure if Gene was my son I’d be pushing him to finish college. Some of the jobs I’ve had over the years either don’t exist at all anymore (like my first non-paper route job as a printer’s devil) or have been outsourced. Maybe some experience bussing tables wouldn’t be so bad. It would help round out his education in a low profit margin kind of way. My curiosity in how this plays out is piqued. JJ.

  5. Greg from Robertsdale on 20 Aug 2008 at 8:27 am #

    From what we have seen of Gene through the years, he can make good decisions. I think he can survive any he makes in this case as well.
    I don’t know that I would always make the same ones my eldest son makes, but (a second to brag here) outside of the fun stuff, which includes but is not limited to biking, hiking, camping (I’m talking hardcore versions here), snorkeling, scuba diving, scuba fishing, rock climbing, rappelling… and the list keeps on going. While doing this, he is also supporting himself AND putting himself through the University of Alabama (sorry, JJ, but, ROLLLLL TIDE, ROLL). He may not have a lot in savings right now, but he’s able to say he’s lived his youth while he could, and is positioning himself to take care of the monetary concerns of tomorrow in due time.
    How many of us, if we could look back and view ourselves in our youth objectively would think we were the brightest bulbs in the chandelier. I don’t think I would have, but we’re doing well in spite of ourselves. :o )

  6. John in LA, late of P'cola on 20 Aug 2008 at 8:34 am #

    Uh Oh, I see the powerful drug of LOVE has gotten hold of Gene. Poor Boy.
    Hey J.J. Sure enough, I’d love to buy a mug and I agree w/ Maggie. But just to thrown in my 2 cents worth–I’d sure like to see a Mug w/ just Arlo, 5-15-06 (I believe) in panel 3 just before he says “Yes Sir, lowering my expectations has really paid off.” In fact, panel 3 w/ the pixilaed Arlo w/ that sentence from panel 4 would be my recommendation.

  7. Jim in southwest Illannoy on 20 Aug 2008 at 8:36 am #

    Maggie, what do you mean by “regular sized mug”? If it’s under 10 oz, it’s a waste of time for me. Too many trips back and forth to the coffeepot. Yeah, I need my morning jolt, and a few times during the day. :)

  8. Chris from Boston on 20 Aug 2008 at 8:55 am #

    Thanks for running these old strips! I have to admit I’m hanging on every panel of the new ones.

    Would you consider running the strips of Mary Lou’s phone call to Gene (her second appearance) ? Especially since it seems most everyone had forgotten it! You mentioned that there was a hint that all was not well with her family situation at the time.

  9. Jean from Dahlonega GA on 20 Aug 2008 at 8:56 am #

    Jim in Southwest Illannoy, we have the same problem: too much blood in our caffeine system.

    John in NY, a bbq at JJ’s sounds like a good end-of-summer get together.

    JJ, I didn’t notice Mary Lou’s shorts because I was looking at poor Gene’s face. He definitely has that “deer in the headlights’ expression.

    As for today’s strip, maybe our young lovers should brush up on their Shakespeare: “The course of true love never did run smooth”.

  10. Walter E. Wallis on 20 Aug 2008 at 9:06 am #

    I remember when Charlie Brown changed his shirt. Anyone remember what the change was?
    I have an incentive, now, to live beyond my 76 years [besides laughing at our election selections] – to see if this is a spin-off, the Mary Lou and Gene strip.

  11. Connie on 20 Aug 2008 at 9:24 am #

    “Thanks JJ…..and even though there’s “nothing for sale” HERE, we do at times beg for A Coffee Mug with the A&J logo with them leaning against the roadster that we can buy. (Not the huge mugs that are too big to hold onto before you have a cup or 2 of morning coffee, but the regular size mugs….hint, hint, hint)”

    Oh Maggie, that’s an awesome idea! I collect coffee mugs (and working in IT, I have a ton of commercial mugs that the programmers get tired of and finally place in the break room for someone to take or for me to hoard), it would be awesome to have an A&J mug with the car logo on it!

    Welcome newspaper readers! Don’t believe JJ when he says there’s no ulterior movitve to this blog. This is where he gets the addresses of the windows he will peak into later on so he can have some fresh topics for future strips!

    Yeah, I’m onto ya JJ! ;-)

  12. Rex from TX on 20 Aug 2008 at 10:27 am #

    I wondered about that invitation, but I see it is our newspaper today. Of course, this means more time being on good behaviour :)

    I too am waiting on pins and needles for more info about Mary Lou. Don’t remeber the phone calls. Don’t remember Charlie Brown changing his shirt either, and that bothers me, as I am a fairly avid Peanuts fan. Maybe my mind isn’t as sharp as it was in my 30′s.

    In the last two days, it seems we went from Gene having a deer in the headlights look to Mary Lou having something of the same. Kind of: “OK, now, how do I explain all of this”

    Walter, I doubt we will see a “spin off” strip, but I do recall days when Summer (Funky Winkerbean) was a little girl, as were the kids in “For Better or Worse.” Now all are adults, with lives (and comic strip parts) of their own. (Well, Summer is still a teen, but I think soon will be in college.) My hope is the cast of charactors will expand to the younger generation, although in the end, it is JJ’s opinion that counts.

    PS: I really hadn’t noticed, there is some commercialism creeping into some of the blogs I read, until you mentioned there is No commercialism here. But you did promise that a book should be out next spring, and I am still looking forwards to that.

  13. Sheila on 20 Aug 2008 at 10:39 am #

    Ahh Gene – follow your heart my boy – college can wait – I’m 48 years old and heading into my second year of nursing school. University is two thing – not for everyone and not going to close up anytime soon! A few months of cleaning up other people’s leftovers might make the prosepct of studying seem a lot less like drudgery as well.

    My brilliant 16 year old who would no doubt be accepted into any university he might choose wants to pursure something else – something that is his passion and that he is fantastically good at – he’s the top 16 year old in the country at it! I support him 100% but appear to be the only adult in his life that believes in him – I guess it’s a good thing I’m his mom!

  14. Anthony on 20 Aug 2008 at 11:42 am #

    Thanks for posting these! A&J is one of my all time favorite strips… and I love the Arlo and Janis roadster pic… Too cool!!!

  15. Marge and Len on 20 Aug 2008 at 11:47 am #

    JJ,

    We love the strip, see ourselves on many occasions. Now in our eighties and about to celebrate 62 years of the greatest marriage that ever was! Just ask our four married children, their spouses, our grandchildren and Izzy, our great-grandchild!

    M & L

  16. Lindsey on 20 Aug 2008 at 12:08 pm #

    I just wanted to say that I’ve recently started reading Arlo and Janis, and it’s one of the few comics I read every day because I truly enjoy it rather than to make fun of it. I’m also really glad you have this blog – I believe a major problem with comics these days is that the artists seclude themselves and have no contact with their fans. I respect any artist who can make a blog like this to explain his or her thoughts and reach out to people, and it’s made me respect you a lot more! I hope in a couple of years more comic artists do this. Thank you!

  17. Adam on 20 Aug 2008 at 12:26 pm #

    The look on Gene’s face is hysterical!

  18. John in NY on 20 Aug 2008 at 12:30 pm #

    I was about to agree with Jim on the mug size, but I think Jean has summed it up perfectly. I’m more of a tea fan than coffee, but need the caffine all the same!

  19. Curmudgeonly professor on 20 Aug 2008 at 1:13 pm #

    Jim from Boston: (ref: a couple days ago) I cut back on my curmudgeonliness when I retired!! However, I can still nit-pick: What we lovingly accuse JJ of doing is “peeking”, not “peaking”, in our windows. I’d hate to think that JJ has already hit his zenith – i.e., having “peaked” – and that the rest is downhill….

  20. Phyll on 20 Aug 2008 at 1:25 pm #

    Since you regulars made such a gallant effort to “straighten up and fly right” for us visitors, I felt you were owed at least one hearty “Thank you!” I am trying to process the fact it’s been 11 years since Mary Lou first appeared. I swear I can conjure up an image of exactly where I was sitting, etc., when I read it. Kinda freaked me out! Perhaps it really is true that every minute we’ve ever experienced is stored in our memory, it just takes something to poke it into our consciousness. Not surprised it was A&J that poked at my brain and got me thinking, it does that a lot. Great strip, in fact the last few days could be called a “strip tease”.

  21. James on 20 Aug 2008 at 3:53 pm #

    I’m new to this site but have been trying to keep up with A&J’s new road of life. Looks like that ain’t all that’s ‘new’ is it Mary Lou? Well, Gene can always be a good friend to get her through what ever life has dealt her. I just hope he doesn’t get n over his head. Keep up the great work JJ. Please try to get us a mug or who could we contact to get one printed ourselves? I know there must be copyrights and stuff. If you would contact me at my e-mail maybe I could work out something with you or whoever about products, unless there is some already then we would like to know where to get them. Thanks, James Bailey

  22. Mary in Ohio on 20 Aug 2008 at 3:53 pm #

    When Charlie Brown changed his shirt…Oh dear…it’s on the rim of my memory. Let me get back to you all…

    Judging by ML in today’s NEW strip, there have been previous discussions of more than bussing tables….

  23. Faith C. on 20 Aug 2008 at 5:05 pm #

    Oooh a mug with A&J on it! Super idea, and I will be among the first in line for one — but please include Ludwig. My cat Junior would be very disappointed if he wasn’t on it. Junior frequently dips his paw in my cup and licks it off to see what I am drinking, and if he might like to share it. After years of finding “condensation spatters” around my cups, I finally figured it out…… lol!!d

  24. Bill Rogers on 20 Aug 2008 at 5:49 pm #

    Bill from Tennessee:
    Thanks for putting the website in the strip today. This is my first, but not last visit. A&J is one of the 2 best strips in the paper. Zits is the other one. They are ranked 1 and 1A.

    I marvel at how JJ can change the character’s expressions by just a small dot or line!

  25. Jim in SE Mississippi on 20 Aug 2008 at 6:13 pm #

    Yeah, it’s certainly not all of our faults that JJ doesn’t yet have a book to sell us.
    Maybe it won’t be much longer.

    Mr. Wallis: Although I’d much rather watch Janis change her shirt, I’ll bite…what did Charlie Brown wear before his “saw tooth” shirt?” (That must have been quite a while ago.)

  26. Bonnie Jeanne in Pittsburgh on 20 Aug 2008 at 7:19 pm #

    Since we are back to the topic of Arlo and Janis merchandise, I have a wicked cool Arlo and Janis t-shirt (features Car Talk gag) I bought from CafePress years ago. It is a medium, but so very tiny that I can’t wear it, and I am not a big medium. I keep looking for ways to “re-purpose” it, but nothing has really sparked my imagination.

    Arlo and Janis coffee mug would be nice. But not from CafePress.

  27. Ken too on 20 Aug 2008 at 9:46 pm #

    Since JJ didn’t post it, United Media offers some merchandise at the official Arlo & Janis site:

    http://www.cafepress.com/arlonjanis

    Print a favorite A&J strip on that mug or shirt you’re craving, folks.

  28. CG from MN on 20 Aug 2008 at 11:01 pm #

    Jim in southwest Illannoy

    My son shoveling chicken manure made him realize that was NOT what he wanted to
    do for the rest of his life. At the time he had little choice in the matter. He now stays
    as far from a shovel handle as he can.

    Everyone should have one of those “character building” jobs.

  29. Luey Lipshits on 21 Aug 2008 at 4:43 am #

    Somehow I doubt Gene noticed her change of shorts either. He seems fixated a little higher.

  30. Rick Winemaker on 21 Aug 2008 at 6:00 am #

    I have always hoped for t-shirts with the wit and wisdom of arlo & janis on wine on them, I have several yellowed strips taped up in my lab. If we winemakers do not laugh at ourselves, we might well cry in our barrels…

  31. Caly from TN on 21 Aug 2008 at 6:40 am #

    This is my first time to your site and Thanks for posting the background story on Gene. Your strip wasn’t published in the newspaper I use to read so I am new to Arlo and Janis but I really enjoy it, especially since I have a 17 year old son. 8-)

    Looking forward to this unfolding story.

  32. Jim in southwest Illannoy on 21 Aug 2008 at 7:28 am #

    JJ, Arlo’s response in today’s A&J gave me a good belly laugh. Janis doesn’t seem to be so upset, but more understanding of Gene. Interesting.

    Carly, you’re going to like it here. JJ’s a real good host. I’m glad you can finally get your A&J fixes now.

    CG, I agree with you 100% on those character building jobs. I had a few of those myself. The only chicken manure I shoveled was at my grandma’s, and that was just one day, but I had some others, and some would argue that they’ve made me quite a character. :)

  33. maggie on 21 Aug 2008 at 7:48 am #

    OMG!!! I can’t believe I did a typo & used “peaking” rather than “peeking”. I hope that wasn’t a Freudian slip. I didn’t mean to imply that JJ was “peaking” & it was all down hill from here. OOPS….sorry. LOL!

  34. Anonymous on 21 Aug 2008 at 7:53 am #

    is mary lou pregnant?
    by gene?

  35. Norm Gillespie on 21 Aug 2008 at 8:21 am #

    To Bonnie Jean in Pittsburgh-

    Try sewing the neck and sleeves of the T-shirt closed, stuff the shirt with batting, foam, or some other pillow material, sew the bottom closed, and voila!, you have your very owm Arlo & Janis throw pillow. My better half did this with my daughter’s Mickey Mouse/Fantasia T-shirt more years ago than I care to remember, and it was a treasured item until the last time military movers got their hands on it.

  36. Norm Gillespie on 21 Aug 2008 at 8:22 am #

    To Bonnie Jean in Pittsburgh-

    Try sewing the neck and sleeves of the T-shirt closed, stuff the shirt with batting, foam, or some other pillow material, sew the bottom closed, and voila!, you have your very own Arlo & Janis throw pillow. My better half did this with my daughter’s Mickey Mouse/Fantasia T-shirt more years ago than I care to remember, and it was a treasured item until the last time military movers got their hands on it.

  37. Mark in Boston on 21 Aug 2008 at 10:32 am #

    I seem to remember Charlie Brown wearing a shirt with “Family Barber Shop” on the back. His father sponsored the team shirts.

  38. Ginger in Auburn on 21 Aug 2008 at 12:40 pm #

    I’m in 100% agreement with Bill from TN. Since I don’t take a paper and can only get my A&J and Zits fix electroncially, I’m a bit put out with King Features for allowing such a limited view of “their” comics. Their loss; I’d be visiting their site nearly every day and referring them to others!

  39. Mary in Ohio on 21 Aug 2008 at 4:35 pm #

    And congratulations to Marge and Len for their enduring marriage – JJ has probably been peeking in their windows for awhile now!

  40. Ken from Framingham (Boston Globe reader) on 21 Aug 2008 at 8:33 pm #

    Hi, Bonnie Jeanne in Pittsburgh,

    Why do you say “Arlo and Janis coffee mug would be nice. But not from CafePress”?
    Are CafePress mugs not any good?

    I get a lot of T-Shirts for myself and family from Zazzle, and am very happy with those. I don’t know how they do with mugs.

  41. Jim in southwest Illannoy on 21 Aug 2008 at 9:44 pm #

    Norm Gillespie, I understand quite well about military movers. I lost a few things during my first experience with them, and had some damage during my last bout with them. My experience was in the Air Force. What branch were you in?